The Ohio Department of Taxation last week
released separate tax forms that will allow gay couples who live in the
state but got married in another state to jointly file for taxes at the
federal level. But because of Ohio’s constitutional ban on same-sex
marriage, same-sex couples won’t be able to jointly file for taxes at
the state or local level.

A panel of nine criminal justice
officials on Oct. 25 recommended limiting access to Ohio’s facial
recognition program and establishing protocols that would seek to make
the program less prone to abuse.

A re-inspection of the privatized Lake
Erie Correctional Institution (LECI) found the prison is “heading in a
positive direction,” but the facility is still on pace in 2013 to
maintain increased levels of violence similar to the year before.

A scathing audit of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO)
suggests former Sheriff Simon Leis crippled technological developments,
stacked leadership positions with political cronies and still kept his
staff fiercely loyal during his 25-year reign over the sheriff’s office.

Homeless advocates gathered in front of
the Hamilton County Courthouse on Oct. 16 to speak out against the
county sheriff’s attempts to evict homeless people sleeping at the
courthouse and Hamilton County Justice Center and threaten jail time.

Another effort to reduce Cincinnati’s
alarmingly high infant mortality rates launched Oct. 1, which local
leaders hope will help educate first-time parents in high-risk zip codes
on proper ways to put their infants to sleep.

Gov. John Kasich’s refusal to seek
another waiver for federal regulations on food stamps will force 18,000
current recipients in Hamilton County to meet work requirements if they
want the benefits to continue.